When we started crafting Summer School, I knew I didn't want to be the only teacher in the classroom. We're covering a lot of ground this month, and I wanted to invite guest experts into this space to school us on what they do best. Enter: Monica Leed! Monica is the CEO and owner of Simply Spaced, a LA-based organizing company, helping high-performers transform their cluttered minds and spaces to support their best lives. Her team focuses on organizing, transforming and styling cluttered spaces. She's the queen of clutter-free, the answer to all of your organizing woes, and we're so happy she's joining us today to answer 5 burning questions we had about cleaning and purging the home. Take it away, Monica!
1. Where do people forget to clean?
People always forget to clean under the sink, but getting rid of extra packaging, toxic cleaning supplies and old sponges can be a cathartic cleaning ritual. It’s typically an easy, quick win, but this space tends to collect clutter and feel chaotic.
2. What room do you recommend people organize first to have the best snowball effect on the rest of the house?
3. What questions do you ask yourself when purging?
4. How can someone make cleaning a more enjoyable experience?
5. How can I get my kids involved in taking care of the house, too?
Don't miss a day of Summer School: How to Fall in Love with your Home in 30 Days
Download the Calendar to follow along all month!
Learn: Love your home by being intentional with what you keep in it
Homework: It's time to Purge
Good Looking Ugly Stuff to help you clean and get organized
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Loved this post and this series! Can’t wait to keep purging and learning more this summer! That dish drying rack is beautiful! Anyone know where to find it!
I would also urget hat if you are feeling overwhelmed then maybe DO NOT start with the kitchen. Yes... it can be very satisfying and cathartic. However, it can be overwhelming and intimidating. Start with a drawer, then a cabinet, just one! maybe the one that holds the tupperware... and go slowly. OR start in the bathroom or mud room.
I think that the question of whether you love something or something “sparks joy” works really well for some people. Then there are people like my kids. They see the potential in every broken toy. They love every empty ring pop ring. Everything is a precious treasure. I know a lot of adults like this too!
Dana K White at A Slob Comes Clean has been very helpful to me in dealing with my house and with my family of lovable pack rats. She has this great idea which she calls the Container Concept. The idea is that your house is a container and as such, it has limits.
I tell my kids that we can love more than we can store. So I give them limits. The toys need to fit in the toy bins. The books need to fit on the bookshelves. The special treasures need to fit in the special drawer. If things don’t fit, they need to go through and get rid of their least favorite things. This has worked really well for our kids. It takes the emotion out of it for adults as well.
You have so simply explained it. I love this concept! It's very helpful. Thank you for sharing.
I love this!!!!! I have specifically one very lovable pack rat that wants to save all packaging, clothing tags, rocks, leaves, popped balloons, EVERYTHING. It’s very cute but makes me crazy. Gonna have to work this way of thinking out with her.
I’m so glad you posted this because I thought I was the only one! A few months after Halloween we found out that my 5 year old had saved all of the “pretty candy wrappers” in a drawer in his bedtime table - oy!